Rail-bond protector.



PATENTED M A Y 21,1907.

L. B. BUCHANAN.

, RAIL BOND PROTECTOR.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR.18, 1907.

LEONARD B. BUCHANAN, OF VVOBURN, MASSAtHUSE'VIS.

RAIL-BOND PROTECTOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 21, 1907.

Application filed March 18,1907. serial No- 362,806.

To (LZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LEONARD B. BU- ()IIANAN, of Woburn, county of MiddleseX, State of lvl assachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Hail-Bond Protectors, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings represen ting like parts.

Many rail-bonds are applied to the rails at the ball and notwithstanding many advantages obtained by applying rail-bondsto this particular part of the rails, certain objections arise, as for instance, the rail-bonds, being exposed to view and readily accessible and being composed of copper, are very tempting'to thieves, and they ply their vocation regardless of the disproportion between the profit to them and the cost to the company and the inconvenience and annoyance caused by delays due to removal of the railbonds. The bonds are also liable to be detaohed from the rails accidentally by wheels passing over them and they are also liable to be deranged and disconnected by the pres, sure of the paving stones against them, due to many causes.

This invention has for its object to provide a protecting plate or shield for rail-bonds which are attached to the rail at the ball, which is simple to construct and easy to apply and which very ell'ectually protects the rail-bond .in such manner that the above noted objections are overcome.

Figure 1 shows inv front elevation a railbond protector or shield embodying this invention. I bond protector or shield shown in Fig. 1, removed from the rail. Fig. 3 is a transverse section of'the rail-bond protector or shield shown in Fig. 1, taken on the dotted line 3--3.

' a and I) represent the adjacent ends of two rails and c a rail-b0nd of any suitable construction, which is attached to the rails at the ball.

My protecting plate or shield consists of. a piece of sheet metal, or it maybe a casting, and comprises a bond-covering or inclosing portion. d, herein shown as shaped to correspond with the shape of the rail-bond, and usually made flat, and having inturned ears or extensions d, d, at each end adapted to bear against the ball of the rail at points outside of or beyond the railbond. Said ears or exteniions are disposed at an obtuse angle Fig. 2 is a plan View of the rail-.

to the rails and act to hold the covering portion (I at a suitable distance from the rail to provide a space behind it for the railbond,- and also to divert wheels passing over it. The said protecting plate or shield also comprises an attaching portion d", beneath the covering-portion (I, which is usually made flat, and oi suitable length to extend from rail to rail. Said attaching portion (1" is adapted to overlie the usual fish-plate c, and to be secured in place by the bolts 0 which are employed to secure the fish-plate to the rails, said bolts passing thrtuigh holes (1, sec dotted lines Fig. l, which are provided at the opposite ends of said attaching portion, one

or more of which may be in the oi-mot slots so as to accommodate the varying positions of the-fish-plate bolts.

As the rail-bond pro ects beyond the plane of the fish-plate, the covering-portion d will project beyond the plane of the attachingportion d In other words said portions (1 and d are ofl'set with respect to each other. To obviate the formation of a pocket or chamber by oil'setting said portions which would be liable to catch and retain Wtlttl',-illl opening is provided at the junction oi said portions, at the lower edge of the coveringportion, for the escape of the water.

The attaching-portion of my protecting plate or shield, when constructed in the mannor herein shown and described, also serves as an auxiliary iish-plate, which I dceni a very desirable feature.

' Having thus described'my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A protecting plate or shield for railbonds consisting of a bond-covering portion and an attacl\ing-portion, the latter adapted to extend froln rail to rail and to overlie the fish-plate, and to be secured thereto, substantially as described.

2. A' protecting plate or shield for railbonds consisting of a bond-covering portion having inturned ends and an attaching-portion, the latter adapted to extend from rail to rail and to overlie the fish-plate and to be scoured thereto, substantially as described.

3. A protecting plate or shield for railbonds consisting of a bond-covering portion and an attaching-portion, the latter adapted to extend from rail to rail and to overlie the fish-plate, and to be secured thereto, said portions being otlset with respect to each other, substantially as described.

4. A protecting plate or shield for rail bonds consisting of a bond-covering portion and an attaching-portion, the latter adapted to extend from rail to rail and to overlie the iish-plate, and to be secured thereto, said portions being oll'set with respect to each other, and having an opening at their junc (ion, substantially as described.

5. A protecting plate or shield for railbonds consisting of a bond-covering portion, shaped to occupy a position outside of and close to the bond to be protected and having inturned ends adapted to bear against the rails, and an attaching-portion adapted to extend from rail to rail and to overlie the fish-plate and to be secured bythe fish-plate bolts, said portions being offset with respect to each other and having an opening at the lower edge of the covering portion, substantially as described.

6. A protecting plate or shield for railbonds attached to the ball of the rail consisting of a bond-covering portion extending outside of the bond, having ends turned. at an obtuse angle in toward the rail adapted to deflect wheels of vehicles and an attachingportion adapted to be secured by the fishplate bolts, substantially as described.

7. A protecting plate or shield for railbonds attached to the ball of the rail consisting of a bond-covering portion extending outside of the bond, having ends turned at an obtuse angle in toward the rail adapted to defleet wheels of vehicles,and an attachingportion offset with respect to the bond-cow ering portion, said plate having an opening below the bond-covering portion, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of 0 two subscribing witnesses.

LEONARD B. BUCHANAN.

Witnesses:

B. J. NOYES, H. B. DAVIS. 

